Determined Terps Overcome Virginia, 27-26

Associated Press

10-12-2013

COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) -Caleb Rowe threw for 332 yards and hit tight end Dave Stinebaugh for the go-ahead score with 5:14 left as Maryland beat Virginia 27-26 Saturday in perhaps the final meeting between these border rivals.

Rowe's 12-yard touchdown pass made it 27-26. Virginia moved to the Maryland 24-yard line in the closing seconds before Alec Vozenilek's 42-yard field goal attempt sailed wide right with 10 seconds remaining.

Rowe made his second career start in place of C.J. Brown, who sustained a concussion in last week's 63-0 loss at Florida State. Rowe went 18 for 34 and directed an offense that accumulated 468 yards.

Brandon Ross ran for 88 yards and two touchdowns for the Terrapins (5-1, 1-1), who ended a three-game skid at home against the Cavaliers (2-4, 0-2).

The Terrapins and Cavaliers first clashed in 1919 and have played every season since 1957. But Maryland is leaving the Atlantic Coast Conference next year to join the Big Ten, leaving the future of the series in doubt.

As it stands now, Maryland leads 44-32-2.

David Watford went 27 for 44 for 263 yards and a score, and tight end Jake McGee had eight catches for 114 yards for Cavaliers, who have lost three straight. Kevin Parks ran for 112 yards and a touchdown, and Khalek Shepherd contributed 81 yards rushing to an offense that amassed 505 yards.

Rowe brought the Terrapins back, with the help of two exceptional catches. After Deon Long leaped between two defenders to grab a floater on a third-and-22 for a 47-yard gain to the Virginia 13, Stinebaugh made a diving catch in the middle of the end zone.The Terrapins trailed 23-20 in the fourth quarter when a Virginia punt hit a Maryland player and was recovered by the Cavaliers. That led to Vozenilek's fourth field goal with 7:11 remaining.

Down at halftime, Maryland got two field goals from Brad Craddock in the third quarter to take a 20-16 lead. Craddock's second 3-pointer came after Rowe ran 19 yards on a third-and-13 and followed that with a 21-yard completion to Stefon Diggs.

The advantage disappeared when Parks scored on a 6-yard run with 13:15 left in the game.

Vozenilek kicked three field goals, and the Cavaliers took advantage of two Maryland turnovers in going up 16-14 at halftime.

Virginia's first possession ended with a punt. William Likely fumbled the kick, Darius Lee recovered for the Cavaliers and Vozenilek made it 3-0.

Minutes later, Watford completed passes of 16 and 38 yards to McGee in a drive that produced another field goal after Parks was twice stuffed at the 1-yard line.

The Terrapins went up 7-6 late in the quarter when Ross turned a screen pass into a 77-yard gain, then ran it in from the 1.

After a holding penalty wiped out a Maryland touchdown, Rowe lost a fumble. But the Terrapins got the ball back, and Ross made it 14-6 with a 7-yard touchdown run.

The Cavaliers then closed to 14-13, using a 44-yard run by Shepherd set up a 4-yard TD pass to McGee.